washtimes
CATONSVILLE, Md. — When the Rev. Steven R. Randall learned that his denomination had consented to the first openly homosexual bishop in mainline Protestantism, he decided he could no longer trust the Episcopal Church and its leaders.
...
Comparing the denomination to a hijacked airliner, Mr. Randall said the Episcopal Church "will carry more people to hell than it will save. It is a flying coffin doomed to destruction and despair."
"People will say I am just bailing out, but I am following God's call as best I can. I don't have a golden parachute. I will lose my pension, insurance, paycheck and all my benefits."
Sal - you missed a great quote from that article that's very telling:
Bishop Robert W. Ihloff of Maryland, who was not aware of Mr. Randall's announcement when reached at his home, said he would meet this week with the priest.
"I think there is a lot of work to be done there pastorally as well as professionally," he said. "It's a conservative congregation, so this does not surprise me. It has been one torn by strife and a lot of conservative feeling over the years."
Torn by a lot of conservative feeling over the years.
As though that's just an emotional sin, not an expression of their beliefs.
Is it a high or low church parish? Does anyone know?
I expect High.
Now THAT'S taking a stand on principle! The world could do with more people with integrity of that sort.
Wonder if he'd like to join us Roman Catholics?
While I am certainly happy he is taking stand I was expecting a decision to join the Catholic Church under the pastoral provision (wonder if Law is still administrating that?). To say you "can't trust" your leaders, to choose to disobey, to say that your church is a "doomed flying coffin" that will "carry more people to hell than it will save" but then protest by withholding 5,000 bucks seems a rather anemic way to take a stand. If it's really that bad (and yes, it is) he should leave! It's orthodox Episcopalians like him who squawk but never do anything substantive that have enabled the liberals to continue.
Maybe it just needs time to sink in. He knows it's going to be fired so he's gotta be thinking about a backup plan.
The bishop says the parish has been "torn by... conservative feeling". Those conservative people are the ones at fault: they're continuing to believe what they used to believe. We can't have that. They're doing violence to the church: they're tearing it apart. How dare they stand still!